The Rose Earrings
by Yassig
Summary: COMPLETED Before she was reborn on Earth, Makoto Kino had a life as a Princess and a Royal Guard. During a ball she met her own true love and protector, Nephrite. But something evil is coming and it threatens to destroy the two! Please R&R!
1. The Royal Ball

Author's Note: Sailor Moon and fellow characters are NOT mine. They are the creation of another brilliant mind, whom I just happen to be stealing ideas from.

* * *

**The Royal Ball**

"Argh! Will you two hurry up? We're going to be late!" Makoto yelled through the door. _Sometimes, I'm not exactly sure who is the child and who are the parents!_ Makoto thought to herself. She pounded on the door one more time.

"Alright already, we're coming!" she heard her father yell as he came to the door. Swinging it open her father gave her a slightly pained look. "If your mother would just believe that she looked beautiful in anything, we could get out of here…."

"I heard that!" yelled her mother from the bathroom. She emerged from the vanity area setting an earring into place. She looked absolutely lovely, which was no surprise seeing as she was a queen.

"Mom, you look really great!" Her mom smiled.

"Thank you sweetie."

"See, I told you it wasn't just me!" Her father shot her mother an annoyed look.

"I don't believe you because you're biased." She reached up to give her husband a kiss. "But I love you anyway."

"Alright you two love birds, can we FINALLY leave now? We're going to be late!"

"Makoto, what are you so impatient for?"

"Mom, it's my first official ball at the Moon Palace! And we're going to be the last ones there! Come on!" she said, dragging each of her parents out of their chambers by their hands. Laughing, they followed her out of the castle.

* * *

"Rei!" Makoto ran up to her long-time friend. "How are you doing! You look gorgeous in that dress!"

Rei blushed a little as she did a quick twirl in her beautiful red ballgown. "It's good to see you too, princess." Makoto hit her playfully in the shoulder. "Hey! No hitting—you're supposed to be on your best behavior tonight!"

"Yes, mother," Makoto mocked. "And don't call me princess—around here, no one would know which one of us you're talking to."

"Hi guys!" Minako walked up to them. "Isn't the palace absolutely beautiful tonight?"

"It's so dreamy!" Makoto answered. "I could seriously fall in love here."

Rei leaned over to Minako and whispered, "That girl could fall in love anywhere…."

"Be nice! It's my first time to the palace since I was a little girl. I get to drool a little bit!"

"Well, it's not like Castle Io is a shack you know!" Minako said.

"True, but it's not the Moon Palace either!"

Queen Serenity smiled as she approached the group. "Welcome girls. It's good to have you all in the castle again."

All the girls curtsied before the queen. "Oh please, do stand up. You are all here as guests, not as subjects. Besides, what would Usagi say if she found all of her friends bowing to the whole family? You know that it would go to her head."

"Moooooooom! I'm not a spoiled brat!" Usagi called out as she ran up to the group. "I'm so excited that you guys are here! You should see the buffet—there's soooo much yummy food!" Shaking her head, Queen Serenity left the group.

"Usagi, how can you always be thinking about food!" Rei said incredulously.

"Because I'm always hungry!" Usagi replied as she stuck her tongue out.

"Oh no, you two aren't going to start again, are you?" Ami asked as she joined the group.

"Ami!" Usagi ran up to hug her best friend. "I was hoping that you would make it."

"But of course. I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

"Oh my gosh, who are the hunks!" Minako was practically jumping up and down as she pointed over to a group of guys who had just entered the ballroom.

"Oh, well, the one in the middle is Prince Endymion. The rest of the guys are his personal guard, I believe," Usagi said, while blushing.

Rei looked from the group of guys back to Usagi. "Endymion? As in Prince Endymion? As in the boy that you've had a crush on since diapers! Oh my god do they grow them well on Earth!"

"SHHHHH! Rei, they'll hear you!" Usagi whined.

"What's the matter Usagi? Still don't have enough courage to go up and actually talk to him?"

"I do too! And do you always have to be so mean to me?"

"Why do YOU always have to behave like a baby?"

"I am NOT a baby!" Serena shrieked, stamping her foot.

"Good," Rei replied with a smirk. "Because now they're all looking at us. So here's your chance—go say hi."

Usagi looked like she was about ready to cry. "You can be so unfair!"

"Fine, you don't want to go say hi. Well, I will."

Rei walked over to the guys who were chatting about the palace. "Hi, Prince Endymion. It's so good to see you again! I know you probably don't remember me, but I'm Rei, Princess of Mars. It's been a long time since we've seen each other."

"Rei, of course I remember you! And you're right, it has been ages. Oh, but forgive me for being a bad host. Rei, these are my friends Zoicite, Kunzite, Nephrite, and Jadeite. Guys, this is Princess Rei Hino"

They all bowed before the Princess. Rei blushed with the attention.

"Actually, it's good timing that you came over—I was going to re-introduce Jadeite to you this evening anyway. You remember him? The two of you met on the Moon a few years ago. We're having some security problems and so Jadeite has been assigned to Mars to help keep an eye on things.

"Really? What's going on?"

"Don't worry Princess, it's nothing much. I'm just choosing to be extra cautious. Queen Serenity agrees with my father that it's better to be overly cautious rather than caught off guard."

"Um….well, okay."

Jadeite stepped forward. "Please, Princess, let me escort you to the dance floor. There's no reason to worry about anything tonight."

Blushing again, she smiled at her friends over in the other corner as she was lead out onto the dance floor.

"Oh my gosh! That girl's got moves! She was only talking to them for a couple of minutes and she's already on the dance floor with a hunk!" Makoto exclaimed. "Why can't I be that lucky!"

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Hope that you enjoyed it!  



	2. Shall We Dance?

Author's Note: Sailor Moon and fellow characters are NOT mine. They are the creation of another brilliant mind, whom I just happen to be stealing ideas from.

* * *

**Shall We Dance?**

"Well guys, would you like to go over and meet the beautiful ladies?" Endymion asked his friends.

"Sure," said Kunzite.

_Oh goodie, a bunch of school girls. Just exactly how I wanted to spend my evening!_ Nephrite thought to himself.

Zoicite gave him a nudge in the side. "Come on man, cheer up. You have a bunch of gorgeous girls who think we walk on air. What more could you want?"

_Some brains...some maturity…_ he thought to himself. Forcing a smile, he walked with the rest of the group over to where the rest of the girls were still standing.

"Good evening ladies," Endymion said as he bowed to them. If it were possible, Usagi's face got even more red. "How lovely you all look."

Nephrite could barely hold back his snort. _How can he take these girls seriously? They're just kids!_ Looking over he saw Jadeite on the dance floor with Rei and just shook his head. _And look at that idiot over there. Totally infatuated!_

"Nephrite?" Everyone was looking at him. Shaking himself, he put on a smile and bowed to the ladies. "Nephrite, may I introduce Makoto, Princess of Jupiter." Smiling, Endymion nudged his friend toward Makoto.

"Er, would you care to dance, Princess?"

"I would love to!" Makoto blushed.

_Oh great, and here's another one. God, this is so humiliating. She's barely out of diapers!_ Taking a deep breath, he led Makoto out on the floor.

_Wow, he's sooo dreamy,_ Makoto thought, placing her head on his shoulder. It took her a minute to realize that he was as stiff as a board.

"Psst, Nephrite," she whispered up to him. "Cheer up. I won't propose to you on the dance floor."

Nephrite looked taken aback. Makoto just had to giggle at his expression. "No, I mean it. I won't marry you just because you know how to dance. I do have slightly higher standards han that."

Nephrite didn't know what to say. This girl, this _child_, was laughing at him. If anything, he became even stiffer.

Makoto finally pulled to a stop. "Okay, I can see that this is going to be a long evening. Look, if you don't want to dance with me, fine. You didn't have to ask. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find something to eat." Makoto turned and left him stunned and alone in the middle of the dance floor.

Endymion, dancing with Usagi, made his way closer to Nephrite. "Smooth going buddy. No wonder all the ladies swoon over you."

Nephrite just grunted in response, leaving the dance floor and heading toward the gardens. _I've had enough of _this, he thought to himself.

* * *

'_The nerve of that guy!_ Makoto thought to herself as she ate a piece of lemon cake. _The absolute nerve! As if dancing with me was the most undesirable task in the world! I know that I'm no ballroom dancing champion, but it's not like I stepped on his foot or anything! Argh!_ She sat there fuming for a few minutes before Ami walked up. 

"Uh, Makoto? Everything okay?"

"Yeah Ami, everything's okay," Makoto said with a smile. "Prince Endymion just has jerks as friends." She told Ami what happened.

"Well, they are a bit older than we are. Maybe he just felt uncomfortable trying to relate?"

"Or maybe he's just a jackass." Makoto replied. "It doesn't matter Ami. I came here by myself, so it's not like I really got ditched. Besides, I was about to head back into the kitchens to talk to the chef. I hear that he has some great recipes!"

Shaking her head, and knowing that if Makoto was talking about cooking then she was okay, she left her friend at the buffet table.

* * *

"So, you want to talk about what's bothering you, or are you having fun wandering the gardens alone?" Jadeite asked his friend. 

"I have no times for playtime with little girls." Nephrite replied curtly.

"Nephrite, no one asked you to babysit. Believe it or not, these girls can carry their own—they're royal guards for god's sake! They might even be better soldiers than we are."

"Ha! That I doubt," Nephrite sneered.

"Look, you know what our assignment is. It might be a little bit easier if you got along with the person you're supposed to be helping to protect."

"She is a mere child—she can't be that hard to protect. She probably spends her time in a castle tower playing dress up and it wouldn't surprise me if she still plays with dolls."

"Well, okay then….I can see there's no talking to you. Just make sure you're not so scathing of her in front of her parents—I'd hate to have to bail you out of a jail."

"Yeah yeah yeah, go back and dance with your little doll."

"Whatever man…." Shaking his head, Jadeite left.

_This is going to be the longest assignment I've had to endure…_ Sighing, Nephrite rolled his shoulders back and took a deep breath. Operation Babysitter has now begun…

* * *

Thanks for the feedback! Nice to know that someone likes my story so far :)  



	3. A Crumbling Castle

Author's Note: Sailor Moon and fellow characters are NOT mine. They are the creation of another brilliant mind, whom I just happen to be stealing ideas from.

Anhthy - Prince Endymion is another name for Mamoru/Darien/Tuxedo Mask/the many other names that he has. As for their age….Makoto is in her late teens (17 or 18 maybe!) with Nephrite being about 5-10 years older (this is just in my head—there is no specifics in the storyline…at least, not yet). Naoko Takeuchi had the idea at one point to match up each of the Sailor Scouts (except for Sailor Moon) with a Dark Kingdom general. She later dropped it, but the idea was that before everyone was reborn on Earth, they we in love with each general. I hope that helps!

* * *

**A Crumbling Castle**

Makoto was humming to herself, helping the pastry chef decorate the last cake when she felt the ground shake.

"Woah!" Grabbing ahold of the table she braced herself. _This feels like an earthquake….but this is the Moon! There aren't earthquakes on the moon_' Feeling the shudders start to subside she headed for the exit to the ballroom to see what the heck was going on.

Pandemonium is what greeted her. Guests were running for the exits, clinging to each other to keep from falling. Makoto watched as Prince Endymion and his soldiers rushed outside to figure out what was causing the commotion. Scanning the crowd quickly, she spotted Princess Usagi with the rest of the girls and ran over to them.

"Princess, this isn't exactly the most secure spot for you to be right now." Gone was the romance of the ball. All four princesses surrounded Usagi, remembering their purpose.

"You guys, what is going on?" Usagi creaked. She looked torn between whether she should cry or scream.

"Let's get a move on. If this place keeps shaking it's going to come down on top of us!" Rei lead the team out of the ballroom and headed for the reflecting pool. "At least here it's wide open so we don't have to worry about a roof falling on our heads!"

All of a sudden a booming voice rumbled through the castle. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

"What the hell?" Makoto was trying to figure out the origin of the voice, just like everyone else.

Queen Serenity ran up to the group. "Quickly, get Usagi out of here!"

"Mom, what's going on!" Now Usagi _really _looked like she was ready to have a breakdown.

"Not now Usagi! Run!"

Makoto didn't wait for another warning. Grabbing Usagi's hand, she dragged her back into the castle, heading for downstairs apartments. "At least if the roof falls on our heads we'll be somewhat safe here." But waiting was almost worse. For several minutes all they heard was constant screaming and yelling, loud crumbling and crashing noises like the Palace was being torn apart at the seams, and Usagi's sniffling as she imagined the worst things happening in her mind. And then, just like it had started, it suddenly stopped. Everything became deadly quiet.

* * *

"Damnit! We should have seen that coming!" Endymion was pacing in front of the reflecting pool. "We knew that there was starting to be trouble. And this ball couldn't have been more publicized—of course they would choose to attack now!"

"It's not like we had lax security," Jadeite tried to point out. "What do you want, for all of the guests to get patted down before they can enjoy the ballroom?"

"That's not funny Jadeite. This is serious, damnit. They actually got closer than they should have—and we were all supposed to be on high alert! We're lucky there was nothing more than some cracked walls and ceilings!"

The rest of the group was silent, not knowing what to say. They all considered themselves lucky that no one was seriously hurt.

"There's no choice. We're moving up the timetable—you're each on your respective assignment effective immediately." The whole group just nodded.

* * *

"Well how do you like that? We're freaking out in the basement and the guys are up here having a pow-wow!" Makoto fumed.

"Come on Makoto, be fair. This has shaken everyone up just a little bit," Ami admonished her friend.

"Screw that! Those guys know something that they aren't telling us. Why else would Prince Endymion bring his generals to the ball? I want answers!" Makoto stormed off to where Prince Endymion stood.

"Oh goodie, here comes the cavalry," Nephrite said under his breath. He was actually a little surprised—the little spitfire making her way toward the group looked more pissed off than scared.

"Someone want to tell me what's going on? Because I'm sick of being in the dark. And the ground shaking is NOT helping my temper!" She glared at the men.

"I think it's time we had a meeting," Queen Serenity stepped forward. "Princess Makoto, would you be kind enough to gather the girls and have them meet in my chambers? Prince Endymion, generals, would you gentlemen be kind enough to check and make sure that everyone is okay? Please come and give me a full report when you are ready."

Bowing, everyone left to follow Queen Serenity's orders.

_Oh dear, how am I going to tell them?..._ With a sad look at what was left of her kingdom, Queen Serenity headed up the stairs.

* * *

And now my shout outs:

Jupiterhime - Thank you for the review! It's always nice to know that someone actually reads my stories.

Lady-Dragonguardian - Thank you for your review as well! And please, no apologies. I haven't finished reading everyone's stories (and submitting reviews) either. Give me another….4 years and I should be caught up! (And who knows, my next story _could _have Nephrite as 007 lolio!)

Athena Kyle - I will get back to the humor soon (this was the hardest chapter to write—again, not too much humor so I suck at this). As for yours….I'm still thinking you could pull off the soap opera sooooo easily! Just kidding!


	4. The Unwanted Assignment

Author's Note: Sailor Moon and fellow characters are NOT mine. They are the creation of another brilliant mind, whom I just happen to be stealing ideas from.

* * *

**The Unwanted Assignment**

Makoto just sat on her bed, completely drained after the night's events. _How could have everything have gone so wrong? The Moon Kingdom had been so peaceful for so long that it was almost devastating to learn that their world was under attack. And the worst part was, there was no real reason for it—everyone lived in peace. The whole galaxy had not made war against each other in centuries. Sure, there was always an army just in case; all of whom took their job seriously. But there was never really any danger…_

_So now you know why you're so specia_l, Makoto thought to herself. She always had a gift. Actually, she discovered that she had this gift quite suddenly. A boy was picking on her and she lost her temper. Next thing she knew, the kid was lying on the floor with slight burns on his skin. _Poor Tommy,_ she thought. _He never really did learn to trust me again. How was I to know that I had that kind strength? Most 8 year olds can't create a lightening storm! Really freaked out Mom Dad too,_ she remembered. _Got the scolding of my life that time. Something about needing to be responsible….typical parent babble._

_Well, at least I know that all those years of training weren't just so that my instructor could torture me. Still, who'd have seriously thought that I would have to become a royal guard? Certainly not that Nephrite…. Argh, what a jackass! I bet he has no clue about any of us girls! That wouldn't surprise me. The conceited jerk probably had his head too far up his…._

"Mako?" Her mother softly knocked on the door.

"Come on in mom." Her mother smiled as she walked into the room. Whenever Makoto was troubled she always laid on her stomach on her bed, twirling a piece of her long hair in her finger. She almost looked exactly the same as when she was 8. Course, then it was trying to help her understand that she should shoot lightening at innocent boys…….

"Mako, how are you feeling?"

"How am I feeling? Pissed!" Mako yelled as she jumped up to a sitting position. "They, _whoever they are_, wait until the royal ball, something I'd been looking forward to for months, to show up and crash the party. Then I'm told that we don't know _who_ the threat is, or _what_ the threat is, but we're to all be on high alert. I'm told to step up my training so that I can act as the royal guard to Usagi. And then, to top it all off, after being told that I'm to be a soldier, I'm sent home while the grownups deal with this! And if that weren't enough, they're sending soldiers from Earth to watch over us when we're supposed to be guarding the Royal Family!"

Knowing fully how well Makoto could get herself wound up when she was frustrated, the Queen tried to calm her down with reason. "Makoto, you were hardly ready to battle at a ball. Not to mention that no one, and I mean not one of us, really knows what or who we are fighting against. Whatever tonight was we can thank God that it was a warning because none of us were prepared. And I know that you think that you can take on the world, but we all agreed that the more people we have out there protecting the Royal Family, the better. And if that means that I have to have one thousand men from Earth to keep my family safe, then so be it! There is nothing more important to us than you. Nothing!"

Makoto looked guilty as she hung her head and gave it a slow shake. She understood, but standing around was frustrating. Everyone seemed to know what was going on before her, and she **hated** being left out in the dark. "I'm not some little kid that needs to be protected! I know that you want to keep us safe. And I agree—if the soldiers are necessary then they are necessary. However, I don't really appreciate having everyone giving us orders and then shutting us out when there _is _information. How am I supposed to be a guard if I don't even know what I'm guarding against!"

"A very good question," her father said as he strode into the room. "And I know that the answers you will have tonight will not satisfy you. I know because they do not satisfy me. We just don't know. So we are to prepare for the worst and just go from there. And like your mother said, we will do anything to keep this family safe. Especially in your mom's condition…."

Her mother glared at her husband for that remark.

"Condition? Mom, what condition?"

"Um, well, I hadn't exactly planned on telling you this at this exact moment in time…but I'm pregnant. You're going to be a sister."

Whooping, Makoto leapt off the bed, rushing over to give her father a big hug before almost tackling her mother in joy. "This is so great! Is it a boy or a girl?"

"It's too soon to tell yet," her father said smiling. "As long as the baby is healthy, I will be happy."

"Me too." Smiling, the Queen placed a hand on her stomach.

* * *

All the preparations had been made for him to leave for Castle Io. But for the first time in his life as a general, Nephrite felt like digging in his heels. He **really** didn't want to go there. He'd had enough of Makoto this evening, and the thought of enduring her for long periods of time everyday was less than appealing.

"You know, you could always go to Prince Endymion and beg off," Zoicite said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Or you could ask to go to one of the other kingdoms. Switch positions with one of us."

"Don't insult me. I can handle this assignment just as easily as any other."

"Ah yes, but the question is, can they? Because you don't exactly look like the most accommodating person at this moment in time….and the last time you were less than thrilled about an assignment you turned the place into your own personal boot camp."

"It worked. Everyone knew what to do and what to expect."

"Yes, but this time you're taking on a planet, not just a town. You're not going to be able to go in there and order the King and Queen around."

"I know that. Believe it or not I do have some tact. And I am rather attached to my head, so I wouldn't go to the King demanding his power."

Zoicite just chuckled. When Nephrite made up his mind, everyone followed his orders. They might not know it consciously, but they always did.

"Alright, well, at least try not to cause too much upheaval. And remember, diplomacy is always the first option."

"Right. And when that doesn't work, that's why I carry weapons."

Shaking his head, Zoicite left the room. The guy was just absolutely hopeless….

* * *

Taking a deep breath and throwing back his shoulders, Nephrite entered the throne room. Walking determinedly toward the King, he stopped and bowed.

"Your Highness, I am here to serve you."

"Come young man, we need to talk. There is much that is troubling me…."

Glaring at him from across the room, Makoto silently fumed. _Of course! It was always her luck to have the one guy she didn't want to ever see again show up as the guard that was sent to protect her family. Why did it have to be this general? There were 3 others! How did she get the short straw?_

_Alright buddy, if you're afraid of dancing with me, let's see what you're afraid of by the time I get done with you. Probably have you screaming for your mommy…_

With a mischievous gleam in her eye, she headed out to the training grounds.

* * *

Thanks again for all of the reviews!  



	5. The Grand Tour

Author's Note: Sailor Moon and fellow characters are NOT mine. They are the creation of another brilliant mind, whom I just happen to be stealing ideas from.

* * *

**The Grand Tour**

_My trainer is a sadistic bastard,_ Makoto thought to herself as she almost limped back to the castle. _Apparently Queen Serenity wasn't kidding when she said that they were going to step up her training. Few more sessions like that and I'll be a pushover. I didn't know I had certain muscles until they started hurting!_

"Ah, here she is!" Her father and Nephrite walked up to her as he entered the hallway to her bedroom. Suppressing a groan, she smiled at her father. 'Just smile and nod…smile and nod,' she coached herself. She didn't feel like entertaining at this exact moment—all she wanted was a long shower and to fall into bed.

"Makoto, I would like you to take Nephrite here on a tour of the castle."

"Um, now? It's midnight!"

"Yes dear." His father smiled, but she knew that look in his eyes. It means he wasn't going to budge.

"Oh alright, give me 10 minutes. Okay? Because if I don't take a shower you're going to fall over just from the smell." She left them in the hallway.

_Probably just getting through with her tennis lessons,_ Nephrite thought to himself. _Something relaxing to pass the night? Who knows what spoiled little rich girls do in their free time?_ Shaking himself, he tried to get his head straight. The King would begin to wonder if everytime Makoto came into a room and he glared at her.

"Your Highness, why don't you leave me here. I will wander around a little until she's ready."

"If you're sure Nephrite..." Nephrite shook his head in affirmation. "Alright, then I will see you tomorrow. Makoto will show you where you will sleep in the meantime. Have a good night."

"Good night, your Majesty."

* * *

Makoto had just finished running a brush through her hair when there was a knock on her door. _Well, time to face the music._ Slipping her feet into a pair of shoes, she opened it. 

"Um, hi."

"Hi." Nephrite was taking in her room. There was no doubt that it was feminine—soft pinks and greens everywhere. But it wasn't a GIRLY room, which surprised him.

"What, are you looking for the posters of cheesey boy bands?"

_More like Linking Logs and building blocks,_ Nephrite thought to himself.

"You were going to give me a tour?"

"Only you would insist on a tour of the castle at midnight. You know, if you could wait until a _normal_ hour then the steward would be able to do this. I haven't a clue how to give a tour."

He followed her down the hall as she started introducing door after door, letting him peek inside to see each room's contents.

"So what were you doing at midnight that has you so tired out?" Nephrite asked.

"Nothing." _Like she would trust him! This guy had some nerve!_

"Well it had to be something. Most girls don't come home looking like that after a stroll in the garden!"

"And you would know this because you've met a lot of girls who've come straight from the garden, have you?"

He couldn't believe it. This girl was baiting him! "I prefer not to meet any girls in a garden, thank you."

_I'll just bet you don't…_ Makoto thought to herself.

She reached the end of the hallway and turned to a door on the left. "And this is your place while you're here." Nephrite glanced up the hall and saw that he was about 10 doors down from Makoto. _Good,_ he thought. _If anything should happen I'm close by._

"And where are the King and Queen?"

"Oh, 8th floor. Stairs are over here." She walked him down a little further to the stairs. _And have fun running up and down them buddy,_ she thought to herself. _That's 5 floors, and I don't care how in shape you are, you're gonna be out of breath! Let's see if you look like you've just strolled through the garden!_

Nodding, Nephrite took it all in. "Okay, what else?"

"Right this way…."

After about an hour she finally led him out of the castle and onto the grounds.

"Okay, I'm exhausted, so I'm going to do the shortened version of this tour. You can see almost everything from the steps here anyway."

Pointing to her right, she showed him the stables, the gardens, and finally the training area to the left. "The rest I'm sure you can discover on your own. Now, if you will excuse me, I've had a rather long day and would like to go to sleep." Turning, she started to leave. She paused. "You do remember the way back to your room, yes?"

"Yes, Princess. Good night."

"Good night, Nephrite."

* * *

Makoto climbed into bed, completely exhausted. _I don't know how I'm going to be able to see him everyday and not kill him._ Sighing, she turned over on her side. Still, he was kind of cute………….. 

Nephrite stayed on the top of the steps, looking over the grounds. He knew he had his work cut out for him. No one knows who or what this new threat was. And the girl is very young, which means she is unpredictable. He really was going to have to spend his time keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn't go get herself killed. He never dreamed that he would end up being a bodyguard for a Princess when he joined the guard on Earth. If he had, he certainly never would have signed up. All those years of training just to become a shadow to kid a girl in pigtails.

Turning, he faced toward the training field. Well, if nothing else, he would start with that tomorrow. He'd have to make sure he stayed on top of his game. Walking back up the steps to the castle he ran a hand through his hair. Yes, Operation Babysitter Phase I had just begun…….

* * *

sailorjupiterlove - Thanks for the interest! I'm glad you like the story so far. 

Athena Kyle - So I'm slowly getting there...couple more chapters, you'll see where I'm heading with this! Mine could be soap opera material too!


	6. A Little Exercise

Author's Note: I am sooooooooo sorry that it's taken me this long to update. I have been planning my wedding (it's in 2 weeks) and it just has sucked up literally every free moment of my time. Therefore, if the rest of the chapters are a little shaky, my apologies.

And, as always, the disclaimer: Sailor Moon and fellow characters are NOT mine. They are the creation of another brilliant mind, whom I just happen to be stealing ideas from.

* * *

**A Little Exercise**

Makoto did something the next day that she almost never did—she slept in. Slowly her eyelids opened and peeked at the clock. 7am. Groaning, she sat up. _My trainer is going to kill me!_ Trying to shake off her grogginess, she dragged on her sweats. _I'm over an hour late—he's going to be super pissed. Maybe it would be better to just skip the whole morning session…_

No sooner had she thought this than there was a banging on her door. "Mako, you'd better be dressed because I'm coming in!" Her trainer flung open the door, letting it slam against the wall. Yeah, he looked super pissed.

"Would you like to tell me why the hell you are over an hour late!"

"Um, well, you see, there's this general here and I had to give him a tour at midnight, and…"

"You are supposed to be training! You are a senshi! Do you think a true senshi could sleep in, forgetting about her responsibilities!"

"No, Master Motoki," Makoto mumbled, staring at a spot in the carpet. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

By the time her trainer got done with her there wasn't a body part that didn't hurt. Not to mention the bruises she had all over her body. _He really is a sadistic bastard,_ Makoto thought to herself. She wasn't going to be able to walk without wincing for a week!

Grabbing a towel and heading back toward the castle, she ran into Nephrite. _Oh yeah, that figures. I'm a sweaty mess, battered and bruised, and here comes Mr. High and Mighty. Just what I needed…_

"Good morning, Princess."

"Good morning Nephrite."

"You look….like you've had an interesting morning."

_You think!_ Makoto barely controlled the rolling of her eyes. "Yeah, was just working out a little on the training field. Best way to start the morning." _Other than sleeping in, that is…_

"I'm about to find out. I'm headed that way now."

"Well, have fun. I need to hit the showers. See you later Nephrite."

"Wait princess."

_Oh god, now what?_ "Yes?"

"Care to join me for a round?"

"A round of what?"

"You need to train, right? I was just wondering if you'd like to train with someone who is a little more unpredictable than your trainer. You know, shake things up a little."

"You think my trainer's predictable!"

"Come on princess. I'm supposed to be here to protect you. But I can't protect you if you won't give yourself the chance to protect yourself."

_This guy is serious. He actually thinks that I'm a cream puff!_ "Alright, you're on." Makoto walked back to the training arena with him. "But just remember to go easy on me—I'm still learning." Makoto bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. _Seriously, this guy needs a reality check._

"Alright, I'm gonna stand over there, then let you have the first shot. We'll just take it from there."

"Got it." Makoto cleared her mind completely of everything except Nephrite, knowing that she could beat him if she just paid enough attention.

The first shot came out of nowhere, knocking Nephrite back. "Shit!" Recovering, he sent off a shot of his own, dodging the next that she threw his way.

Back and forth the two went for almost 15 minutes before Nephrite called a halt to the exercise. "That's enough cardio for me. Time to hit the showers."

_Of course it is. He can't admit that he's met his match from a mere girl. What the hell is it about guys and their egos?_ Makoto just shrugged. "Whatever you say." Makoto once again picked up her towel and started walking back to the castle, not caring if Nephrite was following behind her.

"You know, Makoto," Nephrite started speaking, watching her jump, "you aren't too bad."

"Too bad? Buddy, I was damn good. But it would hurt your pride too much to admit that I actually know what I'm doing. What the hell did you think you were going to do while you were here anyway? Protect lil' ol' me and my family? We're not defenseless Nephrite. I was born to be a senshi—it's my destiny. You may think that isn't worth anything, but it is to me."

"I didn't say a word!"

"Oh, get bent. You have treated me like a child since we first met. So let me make this easy for you. You don't like me and I don't like you. You think that I'm a weakling because I'm a girl and I think that you're a chauvinist pig. The less we see of each other until this is all settled, the better."

Makoto started to walk away when Nephrite grabbed her arm. "Princess, I'm not the jerk that you seem to think that I am."

"Somehow, I doubt that. But you know what, it just doesn't matter. Now will you let me go?"

"Not until you agree that you have misjudged me. You don't know everything about me either."

"I know that you're a sad little boy with a superiority complex. If it weren't for my parents I'd have you thrown out of here. However, seeing as we're stuck with each other, why don't you just go hide somewhere and I'll try to live a normal life. I can even suggest a few places for you to try……."

"Now who's being all high and mighty?"

"Think what you like. Now let me go."

"Careful princess. I may not be a prince, but I don't take orders." His eyes narrowed.

"Oh really? Then care to explain how you ended up on my planet without being invited? Wasn't that your lovely friend Endymion's idea? I know that you didn't come here out of the goodness of your heart."

"You know why I am here."

"Yes, and I think now is a great time for you to go save the kingdom. Go anywhere but here."

"Why princess, if I didn't know better, I would say that you didn't like having me around."

"What tipped you off, Sherlock?"

It absolutely amazed Nephrite that this _girl _was insulting him, when any of these things from a lesser man would have meant a fight. And Nephrite never lost.

"You're just pissed because I didn't go giddy with butterflies on the dance floor!"

"You arrogant… It was a dance! And you tensed up like a virgin sacrifice! You can't seem to get it through your thick skull that I am not a kindergartener. I know what I am doing here. And I don't need a man to protect my back!"

"A virgin sacrifice!" Nephrite pulled her into his chest. "Princess, I am many things, but virginal is not one of them." He dipped his head down and kissed Makoto. Hard. The last thought that Makoto had was that he was right….

* * *

Thanks to everyone who has been reading. Especially Athena Kyle, who constantly is pushing me to finish. :) 


	7. All Shook Up

The disclaimer: Sailor Moon and fellow characters are NOT mine. They are the creation of another brilliant mind, whom I just happen to be stealing ideas from.

* * *

**All Shook Up**

Nephrite was never sure when the kiss stopped being a punishment, but the last thing he felt right at this moment was angry. Her lips are so soft…

Makoto's head was reeling. She had NEVER expected him to kiss her. Hell, she knew that he wasn't a virgin, even before he kissed her! Just as now she knew that she was definitely not in his league. All she could do was hold on as he totally overwhelmed her.

Nephrite heard her sigh and felt her lean into him, jarring him back to where they were. _Shit!_

"Wow," was all Makoto could say. Her lips still tingled and she felt slightly dazed.

Nephrite didn't say anything—he was too pissed with himself. He just turned around and left here there, not even really realizing what he was doing. _What the hell has gotten into me? She's a kid for god's sake!

* * *

_

"Rei! Come on Rei, pick up!" Makoto practically had a death grip on her communicator.

"Makoto? Are you alright?"

"Rei, I need to talk to you. In person. NOW!"

"Alright, calm down. Tell you what, why don't you come for a visit for a couple of days? I'm sure that your parents won't mind if we stay at the castle."

"Right, I'll see you an hour!"

"An hour? Impatient, aren't we?"

"Rei, shut up. I have to go pack!"

"Alright, alright. I'll see you soon!"

* * *

"Oh my god, he did what!" Rei was totally shocked.

"He kissed me. And god Rei, what a kiss!"

"I still can't believe all of this. You're yelling at him, something about being a virginal sacrifice, and then?…"

"He just grabbed me."

"Wow. Who knew the way to get a guy to kiss you was to insult his masculinity?"

"Well, you know…men and their egos…" Makoto smirked.

"So what are you going to do now?"

"God, I don't know. But if my father sees me blushing every time that Nephrite comes into the room I'm going to have some explaining to do. It might just look like a bad crush on my side, but we're seriously always at each other's throats. Dad is gonna begin to wonder."

"So it sounds to me like you need to make a decision."

"What decision?"

"Do you want him or not?"

"Hell Rei, he's an egotistical jerk. I don't know if I would wish him on my worst enemy!"

"Okay, so is that sexual frustration talking, or is it you?"

"Rei!"

"What? You've been kissed before. It's not like it's the first time. I'm asking you for the truth. Because by the way you're describing his reaction, he's going to avoid you like the plague. So if we're going to get a plan together I need to know if we're making him chase your or helping to push him completely out of the castle."

"Hell, I don't know," Makoto said as she flopped down on the bed. "I mean, it's not the first time that I've been kissed. But this just felt so….different. Rei, my toes actually tingled."

"Oooh, I **LOVE** when that happens!"

"Wait a minute! The last time we talked you hadn't had your first kiss yet!"

"Yeah, well, uh…."

"Rei…you're blushing! Okay girl, spill it!"

"Yeah, well, I kinda sorta fell in love with Jadeite. Just don't tell anyone or my father would kill him!"

"OH MY GOD! What? When? How?"

Rei was laughing now. "Hold on, I'll have to answer one at a time."

The two stayed up talking until late in the night. Makoto began to feel much better about what happened with Nephrite after hearing how her best friend fell in love with Jadeite. _But at least he actually likes Rei. All Nephrite ever sees when he looks at me is a little girl._

That's when the plan started to formulate in her mind….

* * *

Nephrite was brooding. He couldn't help it. For the life of him he couldn't figure out what possessed him to kiss Makoto. No, that was a lie. He knew what happened—he lost his damn temper and it got him into trouble again. He had a history of doing stupid things when he was mad, but this had to take the cake.

The worst part of it was, he really liked that kiss. _Damnit, she's just a kid!_ But no matter how many times he told himself that, he couldn't quite convince himself to forget her. She'd done nothing like he had expected since he got here. She wasn't a spoiled brat, he begrudgingly admitted. And she definitely trained hard. He had to admit that their battle yesterday had impressed him. He was holding back, because after all, she was just a girl. But man, that first shot really took him by surprise. He couldn't stop his grin. It had been a long time since someone had surprised him on the training field. If nothing else, that girl had spunk.

Which lead to a whole 'nother train of thought that wasn't healthy, for his mind or his body. From now on he'd just have to make sure that they saw very little of each other. At least now he knew that she wouldn't be caught unawares by whatever the hell it was that was attacking—she knew at least some self-defense.

His mind made up, he went back to the castle to give his report to the king, putting Makoto firmly into the back of his mind.

* * *

Thanks to everyone who's still reading!

Athena Kyle - You will see where this is going soon. The turning point is here...dundundun:) Now it's your turn woman! Update!

Elara - So nice to see that you're still reading!

Lady Scorpio - Thanks for the review! I can't help it--I'm a glory whore:)

EL - Glad that you're excited about the story! I'll have the next few chapters up soon!


	8. Destiny in the Stars

The disclaimer: Sailor Moon and fellow characters are NOT mine. They are the creation of another brilliant mind, whom I just happen to be stealing ideas from.

* * *

**Destiny in the Stars**

"Okay Rei, so here's my plan. Number one, we're going to make me over. But **slowly**. If I totally change he will freak and my father will kill me. In fact, if I do anything different in the first few days, I think it'll send him packing. My birthday is coming up…I think that's the perfect time to debut the improved me."

"That's perfect!"

"Rei, I mean it. Small changes only. But I want to do something with my hair. All I ever do it leave it in a ponytail."

"No problem! I'll teach you to have beautiful hair just like me!"

"Oh, nice and humble Rei," Makoto said, rolling her eyes and sending her friend into giggles. "Number two, I need to start talking to him when we're not fighting. The battlefield is not the best place to be starting something."

"Unless you want to be kissed, that is." It was Rei's turn to smirk.

Makoto started to blush. "Yeah, well, I'm not sure that will work a second time, so let's come up with a Plan B."

Rei smiled. "I'm so glad that you're going for this. I know it'll work out."

"Of course it will! Nephrite won't know what hit him!"

* * *

Nephrite went to the only place in the castle that was deserted at the moment—the gardens. He found a small hill where he could look up at the stars and come to peace with himself. Well…not really. But it at least allowed him some quiet time without prying eyes. He was still mentally kicking himself over that kiss, and then again because that kiss had meant _nothing,_ and yet he was still thinking about it.

_Damnit, you are not a school boy!_ But no matter what he said, the image of her leaning into him and sighing just couldn't be erased. Besides being bad for his libido, it was also bad for him if he wanted his body parts to stay in tact. He didn't think that her father would take too kindly the idea that he was making out with his daughter. _Not that we were really making out…. And why the hell am I still thinking about that kiss!_

Angry, he walked over toward the training arena. Maybe working himself to exhaustion would get her out of his head…

* * *

The next morning Makoto arrived back at the castle with new hope and purpose. Her entire way walking up to the steps, she coached herself. _No getting mad at him. He's going to be prickly (yeah, when hasn't he been since he got here!) and you don't want to take the bait. Just hold off until your birthday and he won't know what hit him!_'Smiling, she climbed the steps, heading toward her room.

They had managed to miss each other all day. For Nephrite, it was unintentional because he hadn't known that she got back earlier from her trip than she had planned. For Makoto, it was to get up her nerve for what she was about to do. Half of her was mad at this. _You've never hidden before. Quit being such a coward now!_ But then she'd remind herself that she'd never thrown herself at a guy, either.

It wasn't until after dinner that she caught up with him. He was in the garden, looking up at the stars. She felt kind of bad about interrupting him there, so she walked close and just stopped. He seemed so…lost. _Can't imagine why, Makoto,_ she told herself mockingly. _He's only in a distant place, away from everyone he knows._

Her small sigh brought him out of his reverie. "Princess," he called in greeting. In truth, he wasn't sure how he felt about having her there. Almost like she were intruding on this thoughts.

"Hello Nephrite," she said softly. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I just came to let you know that I'm back."

She walked a little bit closer. "What are you looking at?"

"The truth? The stars."

"But you've seen them so many times…even visited most of them. Why look up? Do you miss them?"

Nephrite shook his head. "No, princess. You see, everything is controlled by the stars. Each person's destiny is written up there."

"And you can read this?"

"Sometimes," he commented. And he really didn't like what he was reading lately. It just meant trouble.

"What do you see now?"

"I see that something is coming our way. And it's going to severely change my life."

"Can you only see your destiny?"

"No, Princess. I can see yours too. You, as well, will suffer a big change. Something that you never expected will happen. You will be very sad."

Makoto just listened to him. What can you say after a prediction like that? Nephrite, meanwhile, seemed to be wrapped up in his thoughts once again. Knowing that this was her cue, she turned to leave him. "Goodnight, Nephrite."

"Goodnight, Princess."

* * *

_Well, that definitely went better than expected. At least he hadn't starting running away from her. Of course, it's not like I gave him much choice…you cornered him in the garden. How was he supposed to leave without being rude? Then again, when had he had a problem with being rude to her?_ Her mind going a million miles a minute, she got into bed.

Nephrite, meanwhile, stayed in the garden. He had told the princess the truth, but he knew in his heart that it was he who was going to make her sad. But he didn't understand how or why. They weren't emotionally attached, so he couldn't understand how the great sorrow that would eventually hit her would be his doing. Frustrated, he looked back up at the sky. He knew that there would be no more answers to his questions tonight. Sighing, and telling himself that patience was a virtue, he turned back toward the castle.

* * *

Nephrite had nightmares. He was in the middle of battle and a black shape came and completely enveloped him. He couldn't breath! He was desperately calling out for anyone to help him! He felt his body start to shake….

"Nephrite!" Makoto was gently shaking him. She knew that this was probably a _very_ bad idea, because there was no telling what he would do to her when he woke up. But she couldn't think of another way to get his out of his mind's hell. "Come on, Nephrite! Wake up!" She shook him again. "Nephrite, please! It's Makoto!"

That seemed to do the trick. His eyes suddenly popped open and he quickly sat up in bed. He still had the horrible images in his mind as he looked to see Makoto sitting on the side of his bed.

"Princess? Is everything okay?"

"Yes Nephrite. I'm sorry. You were having a nightmare."

"Sorry to have woken you Princess." Nephrite tried to shake the images from his head. Makoto had been in his dream. He wasn't sure how, or what she was doing, but he knew it had something to do with his dream. And that scared the living hell out of him. _A premonition?_

Makoto just sat quietly as he collected his thoughts. He looked confused and alone. And she knew that she probably shouldn't be there, in his private thoughts, but she couldn't help feeling that he needed her strength right that moment. Without saying anything, she reached for his hand.

…He hadn't even noticed. He was still trying to calm his heartbeat and figure out what the hell had he been dreaming about. All he could remember of the nightmare now was that it had something to do with Makoto, and that something bad had happened. He should have written the dream down, before his mind let go of the image. _Damn_' He had a feeling that what he dreamt about was important, and now he could barely remember any of it.

Giving him a few minutes to collect himself, Makoto just sat there with him. _God, if my father could see me now…..Sitting on a bed in my nightgown with a half naked man….Okay, so that isn't a good thought to be thinking right now. Don't look at his chest…don't look at his….Oh god, he's beautiful! Damnit girl! Get yourself together. Now is not the perfect time to be checking him out!_ Helplessly, her eyes ran down his chest to where the sheet was. _Oh my god….he's not wearing anything underneath!_

Nephrite looked over just as she began to blush. Her naivety brought a smile to his lips. "Something wrong Princess?"

"Um, no," she said hastily, dropping her eyes to the blanket.

He gave a soft chuckle. "I apologize if my lack of clothing embarrasses you. I wasn't expecting company this evening."

This only made Makoto blush more. Forcing herself to look up, she saw the sparkle in his eyes. And god, what beautiful eyes…

Her stare was beginning to take an effect on his body, and one that he was going to have to hide soon or he would have to do some major explaining. "Princess, I'm alright."

"Okay. I will let you get back to sleep then."

She rose from the bed and was about to turn away when he grabbed her arm.

"Makoto. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she whispered. She wanted nothing more in the world than for him to kiss her at that moment. And as if he read her thoughts, he gave her arm a tug and pulled her down toward him….

* * *

Okay, I know that this is evil, but I have to go to work. I'll have to post the rest later.

Athena Kyle - I am determined to have this all up by my wedding! Who knows, I might actually finish a story before you:)

To everyone else who's reading, THANK YOU!


	9. Wish Upon A Star

The usual disclaimer applies: I don't own any of the characters in Sailor Moon. I am merely piggybacking on someone else's brilliant idea!

* * *

**Warning: This chapter has some fluff! This will maintain it's Teen rating, however. Don't say that I didn't warn you!

* * *

**

**Wish Upon A Star**

Makoto wasn't exactly sure how she ended up sitting down on the bed again. _God, he's sexy!_ Nephrite's hair had started to fall into his eyes and she fought the temptation to reach up and move it back. To tell the truth, she was afraid that if she touched him now, she wouldn't be able to stop.

Nephrite had no such problems. He couldn't stop staring at her mouth, knowing how much pleasure it would bring him. Reaching up, he brought his hands to her cheeks, slowly bringing her toward him. Makoto braced herself, expecting something hard and swift like before. She was not prepared for the soft brush of his lips, the teasing way that he kissed the corners of her mouth. She could already feel the kiss down to her toes!

"Open your mouth baby," he whispered against her lips. Makoto didn't need any more coaxing. He deepened the kiss, making slow love to her with his tongue. His hands moved down to the small of her back, pulling her into him. Slowly, hesitantly, her tongue touched his, causing them both to moan. Her arms went around his neck and she clung on to him, caught up in the kiss. His hands had become restless, moving from her back to her arms, then one moving toward her breasts.

The new touch startled her, causing her to jump. Nephrite pulled back for a minute to watch her reaction.

Makoto was having trouble breathing. The closer his hand got to her breast, the harder her heart seemed to beat. "Will you let me?" he asked. Words could not seem to form in her mouth…she could barely nod. He eased a hand under her nightgown, teasing a path to her breast.

Makoto's lips parted. She wasn't sure what he was doing…she just knew that whatever it was she didn't want it to stop! As his hand lightly cupped her, her head dropped back and she moaned.

"Princess," he said, slowly removing his hand with much regret. "As much as I would like to continue this, I think that it would be best for the both of us to save your virtue."

Makoto looked up confused, still lost in a fog of emotions. Suddenly, she became incredibly embarrassed at where she was.

Nephrite brushed her cheek with his fingers. "Don't be embarrassed Makoto. We did nothing wrong." He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "But this isn't a good idea."

Makoto just nodded, not knowing what she could say. How do you back away after something like this?

"Good night Nephrite." Rising to her feet, she left his side.

"Princess," he called out. She paused at the door. "Thank you."

* * *

_Thank you? And just what the hell does that mean!_ Makoto was even more mixed up than before. It was her plan to get Nephrite to love her. So why did she feel even more confused now? He obviously liked her… 

_And you know very well that just because a guy kisses you doesn't mean that he wants to marry you. Oh grow up, Makoto!_ Her head spinning, she tried desperately to go to sleep.

* * *

Nephrite was cursing himself again. He seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. _Oh, great plan. Just avoid her. That is, until you're both on the bed, in which case you can have all the contact you want. Because that won't make this job harder or anything! Damnit!_ First a nightmare, and now he'd crossed a line that he should never have crossed. And he wasn't stupid enough to think that nothing would change with this. 

He knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep for awhile. Grabbing his clothes, he headed outside to look at the stars, hoping that they held more answers for him. So was this what the stars predicted about him hurting Makoto? God, he hoped that it was nothing more serious than this. He knew for sure though, no matter what, she was now wrapped up in his future.

And what about his nightmare? He knew that it had something to do with his predictions. If only he could remember what the dream was about!….

* * *

Makoto gave a sigh, sitting up in bed. No use pretending that she was going to sleep. She went to the window, looking out and hoping to find some peace. She spotted Nephrite looking up at the sky again. _Looking at the stars again_, she thought. Could he really predict his destiny? 

At that moment Nephrite looked up, seeing her in the window. _Yes,_ Nephrite thought. _She is now part of my destiny.

* * *

_

Sorry that this is so short, but I'm fixing the next chapter and have received several threats if I didn't get the next chapter out soon!

I was overwhelmed with how many people left reviews—thank you so much! I had no idea that this many people were reading my story. I feel special!

Athena Kyle – Even if you couldn't review, so glad that you liked the new chapter. And one of these days we're going to have to find a better way to get around ffnet's review system!

Elara – Thanks for the kind words! Glad you like the story.

sailorjupiter316 – I'm glad you like the story! These 2 are my fav characters from the series too.

lady scorpio – Thank you for the good wishes! And thanks for the encouragement!

Jade ThunderRose – I'm so glad that you can picture the two! I think that's the best compliment I've received!

stargazer102006 – Thanks for the high praise! I hope that you continue to read.

Kourui – Thank you for the wedding wishes. Really glad that you like the story. (And btw, I love your name. I think it's awesome that it has so many meanings!)

Lady-Dragonguardian – Yay! I'm so glad to hear that you're still reading, even if you aren't reviewing. Nice to see you around!


	10. Small Changes

Author's Note: Again, I am going to apologize that this wasn't up sooner. The wedding took over my life yet again, and then ffnet decided that it wasn't going to post my story, no matter how many times I uploaded it. Hopefully this will work this time!

General Disclaimer: I don't own it, so don't sue!

* * *

**Small Changes**

The next few days the two avoided each other…but it seemed to be more of an unconscious decision than something deliberate. Makoto was wrapped up in her birthday celebration plans, trying to make sure that everything was set. Nephrite, however, was working twice as hard to make sure that there were no interruptions at this gathering. He was working every soldier in the area to the point of breaking, including himself. Working himself until exhaustion was a great way to make sure that he didn't have too much time to think about the past few days. Still confused about everything, he didn't want to dwell on it too much.

* * *

Rei knocked on Makoto's door. "Mako, are you ready?"

Makoto raced to open the door for her friend. "Not yet, but you can wait in here." Dragging her friend over to her bed, Makoto fussed about her room trying to make sure everything was perfect for her 'reveal'.

"Ugh, Rei, I'm sooo nervous. What if this doesn't work? We haven't said more than two words to each other since…" Makoto suddenly blushed bright red.

Rei couldn't help but laugh. "Since what, Mako?"

"Nothing."

"Liar! Come on, spill it. I told you my story, now you have to tell me yours."

Makoto decided that she would put on her makeup to help distract her from Rei's stare. "Well, he was having a nightmare, so I had to wake him up."

"…And?"

"And I think he was too sleepy or too shocked to understand what he was doing. So he kissed me again."

Rei knew that wasn't all that had happened. Just a kiss wouldn't have produced such a blush on her best friend. "And something else happened that has your face turning into a red tomato."

Makoto pretended to be innocent, looking for her favorite lipstick in her makeup bag. "Uh, something like that…"

"Alright, I'll stop torturing you. Even if it makes you turn the most colorful shades of red!"

Makoto looked up relieved. "Rei, I seriously don't know if this is going to work."

"Of course it will. Here, stand up."

Makoto stood up slowly.

"Okay, now turn around slowly." Makoto obeyed so that Rei could see the small transformation. Makoto's hair was on top of her head in elegant curls, she had some makeup on, and she was a knockout in her ball gown.

"I think you look wonderful. If he isn't drooling when he sees you the guy is dead from the neck down. And then he's not worth the trouble anyway."

"Thanks Rei. I don't know why I'm so nervous."

"Because you want to make sure you're perfect for him. And you want to make sure he thinks you're perfect." Rei grinned. "I went through the same thing at Usagi's ball a couple of weeks ago."

"Ah, so that's why you were so dolled up."

"Hey, had to make sure I still had Jadeite's attention," Rei replied with a wink.

"No need to ask if it worked."

"Mmhmm…like a charm," Rei said smugly.

The other three girls were banging on the door as Rei and Makoto were getting ready to head down. "Wow you guys," Makoto exclaimed. "You all look great!" The other girls took turns complimenting each other as Rei snickered. They had all dressed up to impress…and all for a man from Earth!

"Alright ladies," Rei said as she called a halt to their chatter. "Shall we?" Gathering up their purses, the group headed downstairs.

* * *

Endymion had called an informal meeting with his generals in a corner of the ballroom while they waited for the princesses to arrive. "Nephrite, you've checked over security here?"

Nephrite just nodded his head.

"Good. I don't want any more surprises like the one a couple of weeks ago. I have no idea if the target is the Moon Kingdom, the Royal Family, or someone else. But we need to all be on our toes until we figure it out. Jadeite, what have you learned…"

Prince Endymion stopped mid-sentence as he watched his fiancé walk down the staircase toward him. To him, she was the most beautiful girl in the whole place. Hard to believe that 3 years ago she was a shy teenager who could barely talk to him. In fact, she was a terrible klutz whenever he was around. How she had matured over time…

After Usagi came each of the princesses. First Ami, who was met at the steps by Zoicite, then came Rei, who was met by Jadeite. Next came Minako, who was met by Kunzite. As music started to play, down the steps came Makoto, who was a nervous wreck with all the attention that was being given to her as everyone sang happy birthday. She could barely hear the words, however, as she was staring at one person in the room.

Nephrite couldn't get a word out, he was so shocked. She looked so…mature. And beautiful. And the look she was giving him right now showed him that she only had eyes for him. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about that.

Feeling Kunzite give him a small nudge, he went to the base of the steps to escort Makoto to the floor. She smiled at him, then turned to greet guests who wished her a happy birthday.

"Will you excuse me, Princess" Makoto nodded and watched as he left her side.

She wasn't given much time to wonder where he had gone to before she was swept up into the arms of a friend and onto the dance floor. Laughing, she tried to keep up with the pace of the music.

Nephrite watched from a corner as she twirled around the dance floor. Yes, this is how he had envisioned her. Young and flirtatious. But this Makoto didn't fit the image of the girl he'd come to know. Wait, the woman. She was nineteen now. Still…she was so young…

Makoto watched as he turned his back and headed out the door of the ballroom. Excusing herself from her dancing partner, she quietly followed suit, saying hello to the many guests who called greetings along the way.

She watched as he headed out the palace doors. _Probably going out into the garden again_. He did seem to spend a lot of time there lately. Torn between following him and staying with her guests, she decided that she would follow him. Hopefully no one would notice her absence for a few minutes.

"Nephrite," she softly called out to him. He turned toward her, just watching her as she approached.

"What's wrong?"

He didn't answer her for a minute. "Makoto, have you ever looked at the stars? I mean _really_ looked at the stars?" She shook her head no.

"Princess, let me teach you…"

* * *

Required Reading: Memoir of an Orphaned Thunder Goddess by Lady-Dragonguardian

Athena Kyle – Okay, so I didn't quite get this finished as I had planned. Oh well. Hope you like the new chapter!

sailorjupiter316 – So glad that you like the story! And no killing Nephrite:)

Elara – I can't believe that that happened to you once! How wild! I hope that you like the rest of the story…and that it doesn't mirror your life too much!

Lady D – What can I say? Thanks for reading, and I can't wait for you to update yours soon!

EL – Glad that you like it! Hope that you continue reading! (And reviewing, because let's face it – I'm a review whore!)


	11. May Angels Lead You In

A/N: Okay, this is the final chapter and it's a songfic-style. Thanks to everyone who has read along the way and left feedback. I really appreciate it!

Oh, and Sailor Moon and fellow characters are NOT mine. They are the creation of another brilliant mind, whom I just happen to be stealing ideas from.

* * *

**May Angels Lead You In**

_Songfic: Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World

* * *

_

"Princess, I have a present for you," Nephrite said as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small jewelry box. "Happy Birthday."

Her curiosity piqued, Makoto's breath caught as she saw the contents. They were beautiful rose earrings, delicately crafted and the most gorgeous things she'd ever seen. "Thank you," Makoto smiled and she gently touched them with her finger. "They're absolutely beautiful."

"I saw them and immediately thought of you." Makoto blushed. Reaching up, she kissed his cheek. "They're perfect Nephrite. Thanks." Leaning back into his chest, she joined him in looking at the stars, listening to him explain to her how the cosmos worked. It amazed her that he could see so much by watching the movement of the stars, something she was sure that no one else would pay special attention to.

"Wow, I can't believe I never knew this. When I looked up all I saw were twinkling lights and the occasional shooting star."

"Did you make a wish when you saw them?" Nephrite asked with a small smile.

"Of course. And it came true."

"Oh?" he questioned.

"Mmhmm, you're here." Nephrite hugged her closer and sighed. He knew that this wouldn't last. Something was going to happen and he just wished that he knew what it was.

"Princess, I'd better get you back to the party," he said reluctantly. "People are going to notice you missing."

"I guess you're right," Makoto said with some regrets. It was so beautiful outside and she hated to leave his arms. But she knew that he was right.

"May I have the pleasure of the next dance?" he asked, holding out his hand to her.

"Why sir, I thought you'd never ask!" She took his hand, laughing as they made their way back to the dance floor.

* * *

The attack seemed to have come from nowhere. Momentarily stunned, Makoto couldn't believe her eyes as she watched the room turn from a party atmosphere to absolute chaos. Who would attack at a birthday celebration? 

Immediately Nephrite dropped his arms and grabbed his sword, ready to do battle. She watched as he swung at one enemy, then flipping and hitting another. Shaken out of her shock, she grabbed her transformation stick and headed to a corner. "JUPITER STAR POWER!" Seeing her friends joining the fight, she cleared her mind of anything but the fact that these jerks were ruining her birthday. If nothing else, they'd pay for that!

It only took a few minutes to fight off the first wave, but the ballroom was absolutely destroyed. Guests were huddled in corners scared to death. Trying to reassure everyone, she walked up to several of the terrified groups and helped them to get into shuttles back home. She had a feeling this would be a birthday party no one would ever forget…

The sudden explosion outside the castle startled her as she was making her way to her parents to see if they were alright. Almost knocked to the ground, she fought for her balance before running outside to see what was going on. She saw Nephrite had already beaten her there, and watched in horror as a new wave of soldiers showed up. And these guys were heavily armed.

"Okay Sailor Scouts, don't ever let it be said we let our training go to waste. Let's get these guys!" Sailor Mercury shouted. All nodding in agreement, they headed toward the approaching army.

The battle was fierce, seeing as the numbers were on the other side. But they seemed to be no match for the power and skill of the Sailor Scouts and the Earth Generals. After about 30 minutes it looked like the enemy was losing. Sensing that they were going to win this battle, each Sailor Scout and general fought with everything they had, ignoring the exhaustion that was trying to claim them. Eventually, the call for retreat was called and the invading army vanished as suddenly as it had arrived.

Panting, Makoto collapsed on the ground. Her legs just didn't seem to want to work anymore. Nephrite reached her, slowly pulling her up into his arms to embrace her. He was as fatigued as she was but thanking every star in the heavens that they both had made it through.

…And then it happened. Nephrite's breath came out in a sudden gush as he realized that something had hit him from the back. Knocking him forward, Makoto tried desperately to catch him in her arms, not knowing what was wrong. As he slumped forward she saw the sword in his back and an enemy behind him. Quickly killing him with a lightening attack, Makoto tried to support Nephrite's weight.

"Oh my God! Nephrite!" She tried as gently as she could to lie him down, wondering if she should try to remove the sword or if that would only make it worse. Finally deciding that it needed to be removed, she grimaced as she extracted it. She hated to cause him any more pain. She could hear his labored breathing and wished that she had her herbs here to help heal him.

Gathering him in her arms again, she tried to see if he was still conscious. "Nephrite," she softly called to him. His eyes fluttered.

"Nephrite, please talk to me!" Her voice dislaying her panic.

Slowly his eyes opened. "Princess," he whispered. "I don't think that this is quite how you had imagined your birthday party going.

Her attempt at a laugh came out as more of a choked cry.

He slowly lifted a hand to her cheek. "Don't cry love. I hate to see you sad."

Makoto nodded, trying valiantly to hold back the tears.

"Promise me something," he whispered.

"Anything Nephrite!"

"Wear the earrings. Think of me."

"Oh god Nephrite," Makoto said, crying again. She knew that he was saying his goodbyes and she couldn't bear to let him go.

"Please don't leave me Nephrite. I can't bear it!"

"You'll always have me in your heart Princess."

"No!" Makoto tears came uncontrollably as the sobs took over her body. Makoto never believed that a human could hurt this much without being physically attacked. Her friends came to try and pry her away, but no one could get her to let go of Nephrite. No one could make her stop crying. A part of her had died with him.

* * *

It had been 3 weeks and she relived that night like it was yesterday. She spent most of her time in the garden, looking up at the stars that were his favorites and trying to remember all the lessons that he had taught her. She still hurt more than she ever thought possible. Her friends and family didn't know what to do or what to say. It was like she had become a zombie; she just couldn't seem to function. So they left her as she sat in their favorite spot in the garden, locked away in her memories. Remembering how he had tried to open the universe to her and wishing for anything that she could now go with him. 

_**There's no one in town I know  
You gave us some place to go.  
I never said thank you for that  
I thought I might get one more chance

* * *

**_

A couple of years had passed and the pain had diminished some. She started to slowly return back to regular life, but knew that she would never be the same. She never took off her earrings and would still constantly visit the gardens.

_**What would you think of me now  
so lucky, so strong, so proud  
I never said thank you for that  
now I'll never have a chance **_

She wondered what Nephrite would think of her now, 21 and the Queen of Jupiter. Her parents had passed away just a few months ago, once again devastating her. She felt like everything that was dear to her was being ripped from her heart. The only thing that kept her going some days was her new baby sister, who relied completely on her.

She thought of her love, of her parents, and started crying. How could one person take this much pain? She only hoped that they could see her, watch over her and the baby. She was determined to make them proud. If nothing else, she was going to raise her baby sister to be a strong Queen, so when it was her turn to reign she had every advantage. And she'd teach her how to read the stars, just as Nephrite had taught her. Maybe her sister could benefit from the readings more than she had…

_**May angels lead you in  
Hear you me my friends  
On sleepless roads the sleepless go  
May angels lead you in **_

Looking up she saw a shooting star. _What wish can I make? Everything that I wish for comes true then gets ripped away from me!_ Feeling like she wanted to cry again she took a deep breath, closing her eyes. _I wish that Nephrite was looking over me from the heavens._ She opened her eyes and watched as a star twinkled.

**So what would you think of me now  
so lucky, so strong, so proud  
I never said thank you for that  
now I'll never have a chance  
May angels lead you in  
Hear you me my friends  
On sleepless roads the sleepless go **

"Nephrite, I miss you," she whispered to the star. "So much that there are days I don't know if I can get through them."

_**May angels lead you in**_

"I wish you were here with me. I know that you'll always be in my heart, but it hurts so much since you left."

_**And if you were with me tonight  
I'd sing to you just one more time  
A song for a heart so big  
god wouldn't let it live**_

"I love you Nephrite." A tear streamed down her cheek as she touched her earrings. "I'll love you for all of eternity."

* * *

Twenty years later, Makoto was buried in the rose garden that she so loved. She told the story to her sister of the brave soldier who captured her heart. She taught her sister how to read the stars as well as how to fight for herself. As Makoto started getting sick, she called her sister to her side. 

"I'm going to tell you a secret," Makoto said, handing her sister the rose earrings that she so cherished. "These earrings have the love of 2 people inside and will help protect you against anything. They are my most prized possession and I'm giving them to you and your children to come. Wear these as a sign of the Royal Family. It will help protect them."

Tears ran down her sister's face as she listened to Makoto.

"Please don't cry. I'm going to join my beloved." Makoto slowly closed her eyes. With her last breath, she whispered his name. "Nephrite…" A shooting star shot through the sky as Makoto found herself safe in the arms of her love.

_**May angels lead you in

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**_

A bit of an unexpected ending, I'm thinking. Or maybe I am becoming predictable. Don't worry, not all of my endings are sad!

Janice - Glad you like the story. Thanks for the review!

Angels heart 1622 – Thanks for the interest in my stories. Glad to know that someone's reading them. :)

Lp – So sorry that it's been so long since I update! Don't explode!

Elara – Thank you for the congrats, and hopefully this chapter doesn't mirror anyone's life too closely!

Sailor Walnut – Thank you for the review! And might I just say that I love your name!

Lady D – I'm sorry! I've been absolutely awful about reading/reviewing lately! I know! Hope that you liked this and I am going to go review your chappies right now!

Athena Kyle – Hey stranger, hope all is well!


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